OF 
ILLINOIS  !  I8RARV 


CHECK  FOR  UNBOUND 
CIRCULATING  COPY 


I         UNIVERSITY  OF  ILLINOIS 

Agricultural  Experiment  Station 


BULLETIN  No.  262 


FEEDING  PUREBRED  DRAFT  FILLIES 

BY  J.  L.  EDMONDS  AND  C.  W.  CRAWFORD 


URBANA,  ILLINOIS,  APRIL,  1925 


SUMMARY 

Sheaf  oats  and  alfalfa  hay  supplemented  with  half  a  ration  of  oats 
and  bran  proved  to  be  satisfactory  feeds  for  weanling  draft  fillies  during 
their  first  winter.  The  roughage  was  fed  in  the  proportion  of  one  part 
sheaf  oats  to  two  parts  alfalfa.  Three  pounds  of  oats  were  fed  to  one 
pound  of  bran.  During  their  first  winter  the  fillies  ate  an  average  of 
4.77  pounds  of  oats  and  bran,  10.47  pounds  of  alfalfa  hay,  and  4.93 
pounds  of  sheaf  oats  per  day. 

Sweet  clover  during  the  first  part  of  the  grazing  season  and  blue- 
grass  during  the  latter  part  made  a  good  pasture  combination  for  year- 
ling draft  fillies.  They  made  a  good  growth'  on  this  pasture  and  also 
remained  clean  in  their  legs.  While  grazing  on  sweet  clover,  however, 
the  fillies  seemed  to  crave  some  other  feed.  They  ate  a  considerable 
quantity  of  their  wheat-straw  bedding  during  this  period,  which  seemed 
to  indicate  that  better  results  would  be  obtained  by  giving  some  addi- 
tional feed  to  young  fillies  on  sweet-clover  pasture.  During  the  latter 
part  of  the  summer  they  were  fed  some  oats  and  bran  and  later  a  light 
feed  of  sheaf  oats.  Their  average  daily  consumption  for.  the  summer 
was  4.23  pounds  of  oats  and  bran  and  1.27  pounds  of  sheaf  oats. 

During  most  of  the  second  winter  sheaf  oats  and  alfalfa  hay  were 
fed  in  approximately  equal  amounts  without  any  threshed  grain.  These 
feeds  produced  a  good  growth  in  height  and  frame.  These  fillies,  how- 
ever, were  not  so  heavy  as  some  other  lots  fed  at  this  Station  which 
received  more  grain  and  consequently  were  in  higher  condition.  During 
the  second  winter  the  average  consumption  of  alfalfa  was  12.61  pounds 
per  day  and  of  sheaf  oats  13.8  pounds  per  day. 

The  illustration  on  page  259  shows  the  fillies  as  yearlings.  The 
cover  picture  and  the  individual  pictures  on  pages  250  to  254  show  them 
as  two-year-olds,  at  the  end  of  the  experiment,  and  give  a  good  idea  of 
the  kind  of  development  made;  their  average  weight  at  this  time  was 
1,446  pounds  and  their  average  height  15  hands,  3.8  inches. 


FEEDING  PUREBRED  DRAFT  FILLIES 

By  J.  L.  EDMONDS,  Chief  in  Horse  Husbandry,  and  C.  W.  CRAWFORD, 

Associate  in  Animal  Husbandry 

The  experiment  reported  herein  is  a  continuation  of  three  previous 
experiments  in  feeding  purebred  draft  fillies  already  reported  in 
Bulletins  192  and  235  of  this  Station.  In  this  series  of  experiments  an 
effort  has  been  made  to  use  chiefly  home-grown  feeds,  the  production  of 
which  would  fit  in  well  with  the  best  methods  of  farming  in  Illinois.  A 
legume  hay  has  been  the  foundation  of  the  winter  rations  and  pasture 
the  main  summer  feed. 

In  the  first  experiment,  reported  in  Bulletin  192,  the  fillies  developed 
satisfactorily  on  a  ration  of  alfalfa  hay,  corn,  and  oats.  In  the  second 
and  third  experiments,  reported  in  Bulletin  235,  an  effort  was  made  to 
find  a  better  ration  than  this  if  possible,  even  tho  it  would  necessitate 
the  purchase  of  a  little  mill  feed.  An  effort  was  also  made  to  cheapen 
the  rations  by  using  a  carbonaceous  roughage  to  supplement  the  legume 
hay.  Oat  straw  and  oat  hay  were  used  with  success  for  this  purpose. 
The  following  concentrates  were  used:  corn  and  oats;  corn,  oats,  and 
bran;  crushed  oats  and  bran;  ground  corn  and  bran.  Of  these  rations, 
the  one  composed  of  crushed  oats  75  percent  and  bran  25  percent  was 
most  satisfactory,  except  for  its  cost.  Where  corn  was  fed,  the  fillies 
developed  plenty  of  size  and  weight,  but  did  not  have  as  clean  legs  as 
the  fillies  fed  a  smaller  amount  of  corn  or  none  at  all. 

In  the  last  test  (the  fourth,  described  herein)  an  effort  was  made 
to  use  a  pasture  in  combination  with  blue-grass  which  would  give  better 
results  during  the  hot,  dry  months  than  blue-grass  alone.  Sweet  clover 
was  used  satisfactorily  for  this  purpose. 

It  is  a  well-known  fact  that  liberal  feeding  must  be  combined  with 
draft  blood  to  produce  horses  of  the  size  desired  today.  But  this  feeding 
should  also  be  done  economically.  In  the  fourth  experiment  the  feeding 
of  sheaf  oats  lessened  the  amount  of  alfalfa  and  grain  required  and  thus 
cut  down  the  feed  bill  considerably.  At  the  same  time  it  made  a  better 
balanced  ration  than  one  with  alfalfa  as  the  only  roughage. 

Fifty-two  fillies  were  used  in  the  four  experiments. 

PLAN  OF  FOURTH  EXPERIMENT 

One  lot  of  ten  Percheron  weanling  fillies  was  used  in  this  trial.  Five 
of  these  fillies  were  bred  at  the  University  and  five  were  purchased  from 
other  breeders.  The  experiment  was  begun  December  11,  1922,  and  was 
continued  until  April  28,  1924,  a  total  of  504  days. 

247 


248  BULLETIN  No.  262  [April, 


The  concentrates  used  were  crushed  oats  75  percent  and  bran  25 
percent,  which  produced  the  best  results  of  several  rations  fed  in  pre- 
ceding experiments,  but  was  more  expensive  than  some  others  used. 
Grain  was  fed  during  the  first  winter  and  during  the  middle  part  of  the 
pasture  season.  Practically  no  threshed  grain  was  fed  the  second  winter. 
Approximately  one-half  of  the  roughage  fed,  however,  consisted  of  sheaf 
oats  in  which  the  grain  was  fully  matured.  Alfalfa  hay  formed  the  other 
half  of  the  roughage.  Care  was  taken  to  limit  the  amount  of  alfalfa  fed, 
so  that  the  straw  in  the  sheaf  oats  would  be  eaten  up  clean  as  well  as 
the  alfalfa. 

Sheaf  oats  proved  to  be  a  very  satisfactory  feed  in  this  experiment.1 
They  are  easier  to  cure  than  hay  and  require  no  threshing  expense. 
They  are  also  convenient  to  feed.  They  are  not,  however,  so  easily 
stored  as  hay,  and  much  of  the  grain  will  be  eaten  or  soiled  by  mice  and 
rats  unless  some  precaution  is  taken.  The  sheaf  oats  used  in  this  experi- 
ment were  stacked  in  a  shed.  In  order  to  keep  out  rats  and  mice,  air- 
slacked  lime  was  scattered  over  the  bundles  as  the  stacking  proceeded. 
This  treatment  was  satisfactory,  since  the  lime  seemed  to  make  no 
difference  in  the  palatability  of  the  feed  so  far  as  the  fillies  were  con- 
cerned. In  the  handling  and  weighing  necessary  before  feeding,  a  good 
deal  of  the  lime  was  shaken  off.2  The  sheaf  oats  and  alfalfa  used  were 
grown  on  the  University  farm  and  were  of  good  quality. 

Both  the  grain  and  the  roughage  were  fed  twice  daily  in  mangers 
built  along  the  sides  of  roomy  box  stalls.  The  lot  was  fed  as  a  group, 
and  the  feeding  done  in  such  a  way  that  all  feeds  were  thoroly  cleaned  up. 
Consequently  there  were  no  refused  feeds  to  be  weighed  and  recorded. 

Salt  was  fed  with  the  grain.  When  no  grain  was  fed,  salt  was  kept 
before  the  fillies  at  all  times.  Water  was  always  available  in  the  barn 
as  well  as  in  the  pastures. 

The  pastures  used  were  sweet  clover  during  the  first  part  of  the 
season  and  blue-grass  during  the  latter  part.  The  ten  fillies  were  turned 
on  eight  acres  of  second-year  sweet  clover  on  April  30.  The  clover,  how- 
ever, grew  too  rapidly  for  them,  and  on  May  26  they  were  confined  to 
half  of  the  field.  They  had  eaten  four  acres  down  rather  closely  by 
June  26,  at  which  time  an  adjoining  field  of  3.6  acres  of  first-year  sweet 
clover  was  opened  to  them  in  addition  to  the  four  acres  they  were  on. 
Five  brood  mares  and  their  foals  had  been  on  this  3.6-acre  field  from 
June  10  to  June  26. 

When  first  turned  on  sweet  clover,  these  fillies  ate  considerable  of 
their  wheat-straw  bedding,  which  would  seem  to  indicate  that  there  was 

'Sweet  clover  was  sown  in  the  oats  and  had  made  considerable  growth  by  the  time 
of  cutting.  Very  little  sweet  clover  appeared  in  the  bundles,  however. 

JIn  putting  up  this  year's  sheaf  oats,  250  pounds  of  hydrated  lime  was  used  on  34 
tons  of  sheaf  oats. 


7925]  FEEDING  PUREBRED  DRAFT  FILLIES  249 

something  lacking  in  the  sweet  clover  which  the  fillies  desired.  They  ate 
less  straw  as  the  experiment  progressed.  By  August  13  the  sweet  clover 
was  well  eaten  off  and  the  fillies  were  turned  on  a  good  blue-grass  pas- 
ture of  eight  acres,  where  they  ran  until  December  17.1  By  the  first  of 
November  the  grass  was  eaten  off  rather  closely,  but  the  fillies  were 
allowed  to  run  in  the  pasture  for  exercise. 

SHELTER  AND  CARE 

The  shelter  for  the  fillies  consisted  of  four  box  stalls  with  open 
doorways  between  them.  These  boxes  were  16  feet  wide  and  their  com- 
bined length  was  72  feet.  The  entrances  to  the  box  stalls  were  equipped 
with  two  doors,  an  inner  slat  door,  and  an  outer  solid  door.  During  the 
winter,  if  the  weather  was  mild,  only  the  slat  doors  were  closed  at  night; 
if  it  was  stormy  or  very  cold,  the  outer  solid  doors  were  partly  or 
entirely  closed  as  a  protection  against  drafts,  but  provision  was  always 
made  for  the  free  circulation  of  air  thru  the  stalls.  These  doors,  which 
were  8  feet  wide,  opened  into  cindered  exercise  lots  which  connected  the 
barn  with  the  pasture.  The  fillies  were  in  these  lots  every  day  during 
the  winter  and  ran  on  pasture  from  spring  until  early  winter. 

This  method  of  stabling  insured  sufficient  protection  without  unduly 
depriving  the  fillies  of  opportunity  for  exercise;  and  exercise  must 
accompany  good  feeding  if  the  best  all-round  results  are  to  be  obtained. 

During  the  summer  canvas  "flappers"  nailed  to  the  over-head 
joists  assisted  in  keeping  the  flies  off  the  backs  of  the  fillies.  A  coal-tar 
disinfectant  applied  to  the  lower  part  of  the  canvas  prevented  it  from 
being  chewed  or  torn  down.  As  further  protection  from  flies,  the  stalls 
were  darkened  with  burlap  curtains  hung  over  the  windows  and  door- 
ways. 

Wheat  straw  was  used  as  bedding.  The  manure  was  removed  from 
the  stalls  each  day. 

During  the  winter  the  fillies  were  occasionally  given  a  hurried 
grooming  with  a  "dandy  brush."  As  often  as  necessary — about  once  a 
month — their  feet  were  trimmed  with  a  one-inch  chisel  and  mallet. 

FEED  CONSUMED 

The  average  daily  ration  of  concentrates  the  first  winter  was  a  little 
less  than  5  pounds  per  head.  About  the  same  weight  of  sheaf  oats  was 
fed  and  about  10.5  pounds  of  alfalfa,  making  the  proportion  of  alfalfa 
to  sheaf  oats  approximately  2  to  1.  The  average  daily  ration  per  hun- 
dredweight of  animal  of  about  one-half  pound  of  grain,  one  pound  of 
alfalfa,  and  one-half  pound  of  sheaf  oats,  was  found  to  be  very  satis- 
factory. 

1The  sweet-clover  pastures  furnished  127  days  of  grazing  per  acre  for  one  horse 
and  the  blue-grass  pasture  99  days. 


250 


BULLETIN  No.  262 


ILLINI  ELLA 
175918 
Grey 


ILLINI  JULIET 
176091 
Grey 


19251 


FEEDING  PUREBRED  DRAFT  FILLIES 


251 


ILLINI  IDA 
175919 
Grey 


252 


BULLETIN  No.  262 


[April, 


The  ration  of  alfalfa  hay  and  sheaf  oats  fed  the  second  winter  was 
also  considered  a  good  one.  At  that  time  these  roughages  were  fed  in 
about  equal  amounts,  a  little  more  sheaf  oats  being  fed  than  alfalfa. 
During  a  considerable  part  of  the  winter  these  fillies  ate  14  pounds  of 
alfalfa  and  15  pounds  of  sheaf  oats  per  head  daily,  making  a  total  of 
29  pounds.1 

While  the  fillies  did  not  make  large  gains  in  weight  on  this  ration, 
they  grew  considerably  in  height  and  were  in  thrifty  condition.  They 
were  also  free  from  puffiness  in  the  hocks  and  were  in  nice  shape  to 
make  good  gains  on  pasture.  This  experiment  supported  the  conclusion 
drawn  from  preceding  observations,  that  the  addition  of  a  carbonaceous 
roughage  is  desirable  when  feeding  alfalfa  hay  to  draft  fillies. 

TABLE  1. — FEED  CONSUMED:    NOT  INCLUDING  PASTURE 


Period:  28  days 

Average  daily  ration 
per  head 

Average  daily  feed  per 
cwt.  of  animal 

Cr.  oats 

75% 
Bran  25% 

Alfalfa 

Sheaf  oats 

Cr.  oats 

75% 
Bran  25% 

Alfalfa 

Sheaf  oats 

Dec.  11,1922-Jan.  8, 
1923 

Ibs. 

4.39 

4.55 
4.74 
4.97 
5.17 
.28 
1.15 
5.60 
5.74 
6.23 
6.40 
4.00 

Ibs. 

9.50 
9.46 
10.14 
11.23 
12.00 
.61 

6^50 
13.00 

13.00 
13.75 
14.00 
14.00 
14.00 

Ibs. 

3.48 
4.46 
5.07 
5.63 
6.00 

3^00 
4.60 
8.60 
13.00 

15.00 
15.00 
15.00 
15.00 
15.00 

Ibs. 

.493 
.495 
.493 
.496 
.492 
.026 
.104 
.493 
.489 
.497 
.499 
.304 

Ibs. 

1.067 
1.029 
1.055 
1.121 
1.141 
.057 

!494 
.963 

.957 
1.007 
1.015 
1.000 
.983 

Ibs. 

.391 

.485 
.527 
.562 
.570 

^240 
.358 
.654 
.963 

1.104 
1.098 
1.088 
1.071 
1.053 

Jan.  8-Feb.  5 

Feb.  5-Mar.  5  

Mar.  5-Apr.  2    

Apr.  2-Apr.  30  

Apr.  30-May  28    

May  28-June  25 

June  25-July  23  

July  23-Aug.  20 

Aug.  20-Sept.  17.. 

Sept.  17-Oct.  15  

Oct.  15-Nov.  12  

Nov.  12-Dec.  10  

Dec.  10,  1923-Jan.  7, 
1924  

Jan.  7-Feb.  4  

Feb.  4-Mar.  3  

Mar.  3-Mar.  31  

Mar.  31-Apr.  28  .  . 

Dec.  ll,1922-Apr.28, 
1924,  504  days  .... 

2.96 

7.84 

7.16 

.249 

.659 

.602 

The  appearance  of  the  fillies  when  running  on  sweet  clover  indi- 
cated that  sweet-clover  pasture  without  grain  is  not  entirely  satisfactory 
for  yearling  fillies.  They  seemed  to  grow  well  on  it,  developing  con- 
siderably in  frame  and  bone,  but  they  were  thinner  than  most  horsemen 


JThese  oats  were  an  early  variety  which  has  averaged  about  half  grain  and  half 
straw  under  local  conditions. 


1925] 


FEEDING  PUREBRED  DRAFT  FILLIES 


253 


BONNIE  DECIME 
175585 
Black 


254 


BULLETIN  No.  262 


[.April, 


would  desire.  They  were,  however,  very  clean  and  sound  in  their  legs. 
Several  horsemen  who  saw  them  made  especial  mention  of  this  fact. 

During  this  period  when  the  fillies  were  on  sweet  clover,  they  ate  a 
considerable  amount  of  their  wheat-straw  bedding.  If  this  had  been  oat 
straw,  it  is  probable  that  better  gains  would  have  been  secured. 

The  detailed  data  concerning  the  feeds  consumed  by  the  fillies, 
aside  from  pasture,  is  given  in  Table  1.  Following  is  a  brief  summary 
in  terms  of  bushels,  pounds,  and  tons. 

First  winter 
(140  days) 

Oats 15.63  bu. 

Bran 166.78  Ibs. 

Alfalfa 73  ton 

Sheaf  oats .35  ton 

VALUE  OF  PASTURE 

As  is  always  the  case,  the  pasture  proved  to  be  a  very  important 
factor  in  the  development  of  the  fillies.  In  order  to  maintain  satisfactory 
gains,  it  was  found  necessary  to  feed  some  grain  with  sweet-clover  pas- 
ture. To  feed  grain  in  this  way  is  more  economical  and  safer  than  to 
let  colts  get  thin  on  pasture  and  then  attempt  to  put  them  in  condition 


Summer 
(168  days) 
16.67  bu. 
177.81  Ibs. 
.009  ton 
.10  ton 

Second  winter 
(196  days) 
2.63  bu. 
28.00  Ibs. 
1.24  tons 
1.35  tons 

Total 
(504  days) 
34.93  bu. 
3  72.59  Ibs. 
1.98  tons 
1.80  tons 

GENILFONSE,  174198,  Grey 

when  they  are  taken  up  in  the  fall.  These  fillies  made  a  good  growth  in 
frame  on  pasture  and  were  especially  clean  in  their  legs  and  hard  in 
their  joints. 

The  combination  of  sweet  clover  and  blue-grass  was  regarded  very 
highly.  Blue-grass  does  not  grow  well  in  this  locality  during  the  hot, 
dry  months  and  sweet  clover  dies  when  eaten  off  closely  by  horses.  The 
second-year  sweet  clover  was  given  a  chance  to  get  a  good  start  and 


1925} 


FEEDING  PUREBRED  DRAFT  FILLIES 


255 


then  pastured  heavily.  By  the  time  it  was  eaten  off,  a  blue-grass  pas- 
ture which  had  been  saved  had  a  very  heavy  growth.  The  fillies  gained 
very  rapidly  when  turned  on  this  pasture.  There  was  an  abundance  of 
grass  for  them  and  its  nutritive  value  was  much  higher  than  it  would 
have  been  in  the  early  spring,  when  grass  is  likely  to  be  washy. 

DEVELOPMENT  OF  FILLIES 

The  fillies  were  weighed  at  the  beginning  and  end  of  the  experi- 
ment, at  one  and  two  years  of  age,  and  at  the  finish  of  the  summer  and 
winter  feeding  periods.  Their  heights  were  measured  at  the  same  time. 

The  purpose  in  feeding  was  not  to  make  maximum  gains  in  weight 
but  to  secure  a  good  growth  without  any  puffiness  in  the  joints.  All  the 

TABLE  2. — AGES,  HEIGHTS,  AND  WEIGHTS  OF  FILLIES  AT  THE  BEGINNING  AND 
END  OF  THE  EXPERIMENT 


Name 

Age 
Dec.  11, 
1922 

Height 

Weight 
Dec.  11, 
1922 

Gain 

Final 
weight 
Apr.  28, 
1924 

Dec.  11, 

1922 

Apr.  28, 
1924 

Dec.  10, 

1923 

Apr.  28, 
1924 

1.  IlliniElla.. 
2.  Illini  Ada... 
3.  Illini  Juliet.. 
4.  Illini  Ida.... 
5.  Illini  Juno  .  . 
6.  Ruth  

days 
227 
246 
222 
183 
170 
184 

204 
246 
271 
231 

hands   in. 
14       1# 
14       IK 
13      2y2 
13      3K 
13      3K 
13      3K 

13    iy2 

14      IX 
14      3K 
14        % 

hands   in. 
16       1 
15      3K 
15       IK 
15      3X 
16        K 
15      3K 

15      2 
16 
16       1# 
15      3K 

Ibs. 
930 
975 
840 
790 
760 
815 

755 
965 
1020 
890 

Ibs. 
525 
460 
420 
470 
500 
520 

540 
510 
440 
470 

Ibs. 
595 
505 
480 
545 
565 
590 

670 
595 
545 
560 

Ibs. 
1525 
1480 
1320 
1335 
1325 
1405 

1425 
1560 
1565 
1450 

7.  Bonnie 
Decime.  .  .  . 
8.  Lenora  
9.  Hildefonse.. 
10.  Genilfonse  .  . 

Average  

218.4 

14     .4 

15     3.65 

874 

485.5 

565 

1439 

TABLE  3. — WEIGHTS  AND  HEIGHTS  OF  THE  FILLIES  AT  ONE  AND  Two  YEARS  OF  AGE 


Name 

Weight 
at 
1  year 

Weight 
at 
2  years 

Gain  in 
weight 
during 
2d  year 

Height 
at 
1  year 

Height 
at 
2  years 

Gain  in 
height 
during 
2d   year 

1. 
2. 
3. 
4. 
5. 
[6. 
17. 
I  8. 
9. 
10. 

Illini  Ella  

Ibs. 
1165 
1125 
995 
965 
1035 
1010 
1010 
1110 
1165 
1120 

Ibs. 
1525 
1435 
1320 
1380 
1425 
1430 
1430 
1540 
1520 
1455 

Ibs. 
360 
310 
325 
415 
390 
420 
420 
430 
355 
335 

hands    in. 
15       IK 
15        K 
14      2K 
14      3 
15        K 

15      y2 

14      3 
15        K 
15       IK 
14      3X 

hands   in. 
16       1 
15      3K 
15       1 
16        K 
16      IK 
16 
15      2K 
15      3K 
16       1 
15      3K 

hands    in. 
3  4 

1       IX 

3K 

3  2 

1         X 

Illini  Ada  

Illini  Juliet  

Illini  Ida  

Illini  Juno  

Ruth  

Bonnie  Decime  
Lenora  

Hildefonse  

Genilfonse.  ... 

Average  

1070 

1446 

376 

15 

.075 

15 

3.8 

.931 

256 


BULLETIN  No.  262 


[April, 


fillies  were  sound  at  the  close  of  the  experiment,  and  at  no  time  during 
the  experiment  were  they  fat.  Most  Percheron  breeders  would  have 
thought  them  thin.  They  were,  however,  in  thrifty  growing  condition 
except  during  the  period  when  they  were  on  pasture  with  no  grain. 
The  reason  for  not  feeding  grain  at  this  time  was  to  determine  whether 
or  not  it  was  necessary  with  sweet-clover  pasture. 

The  accompanying  photographs  of  the  fillies,  which  were  taken  at 
the  close  of  the  experiment,  after  they  had  shed  off  on  grass,  give  a  good 
idea  of  the  kind  of  development  made.1 

TABLE  4. — FEED  CONSUMED  AND  GAINS  BY  SEASONS:    NOT  INCLUDING  PASTURE 


Feed  consumed 

Gains 

Cr.  oats 

75% 
Bran  25% 

Alfalfa 

Sheaf 
oats 

First  Winter:  Dec.  11,  1922-Apr.  30,  1923—140  days 


Feed  per  head 

Ibs. 
667.10 

Ibs. 
1465.50 

Ibs. 
690.00 

Aver,  gain  in  weight,  Ibs. 

200.00 

Aver,  daily  ration 
Aver,  daily  ration 
per  cwt.  .  . 

4.77 
.49 

10.47 
1.08 

4.93 
.51 

Aver,  daily  gain  in  weight,  Ibs. 
Aver,  gain  in  height,  inches  .  .  . 

.  1.43 
.  3.23 

Aver,  feed  per 
pound  gain..  .  . 

3.34 

7.33 

3.45 

Summer:   Apr.  30,  1923-Oct.  15,  1923—168  days 


Feed  per  head 

711.25 

17.00 

212.80 

Aver,  gain  in  weight,  Ibs  . 

221.50 

Aver,  daily  ration 
Aver,  daily  ration 
per  cwt  

4.23 
.36 

.10 
.01 

1.27 
.11 

Aver,  daily  gain  in  weight,  Ibs  . 
Aver,  gain  in  height,  inches  .  .  . 

.      1.32 
.     2.80 

Aver,  feed  per 
pound  gain..  .  . 

3.21 

.08 

.96 

Second  Winter:  Oct.  15,  1923-Apr.  28,  1924—196  days 


Feed  per  head  .  .  . 

112.00 

2471.0 

2704.8 

Aver,  gain  in  weight,  Ibs  

143.5 

Aver,  daily  ration 
Aver,  daily  ration 
per  cwt.  .  . 

.57 
.04 

12.61 
.92 

13.80 
1.01 

Aver,  daily  gain  in  weight,  Ibs.. 
Aver,  gain  in  height,  inches  . 

.        .73 
1.23 

Aver,  feed  per 
pound  gain  

.78 

17.22 

18.85 

1  Year  4>£  Months:   Dec.  11,  1922-Apr.  28,  1924—504  days 


Feed  per  head 

1490.35 

3953.5 

3607.6 

Aver,  gain  in  weight,  Ibs 

565.00 

Aver,  daily  ration 
Aver,  daily  ration 
per  cwt  

2.96 
.249 

7.84 
.659 

7.16 
.602 

Aver,  daily  gain  in  weight,  Ibs  . 
Aver,  gain  in  height,  inches  .  .  . 

.      1.12 

.     7.25 

Aver,  feed  per 
pound  gain.  ..  . 

2.64 

7.00 

6.39 

TTie  first  five  fillies,  Illini  Ella,  Illini  Ada,  Illini  Juliet,  Illini  Ida,  Illini  Juno,  were 
bred  by  the  University  of  Illinois.  Ruth  was  bred  by  Hunt  Brothers,  Henry,  111.;  Bonnie 
Decime,  by  Thomas  Caygill  and  Sons.  Linden,  Wis.;  Lenora,  by  William  and  Fred 
Finch,  Verona,  111.,  Hildefonse,  by  George  Frerichs  and  Sons,  Gilman,  111.;  and  Genil- 
fonse,  by  F.  D.  Fruin,  Gilman,  111. 


19251 


FEEDING  PUREBRED  DRAFT  FILLIES 


257 


COST  OF  FEEDS 

Table  5  shows  the  cost  of  feeds  at  different  prices.  Of  course,  the 
extreme  fluctuations  in  the  prices  of  farm  products  make  any  cost  table 
of  more  or  less  temporary  value;  but  if  one  knows  approximately  the 
quantity  of  feed  required  to  grow  a  horse  a  year,  the  cost  may  be  calcu- 

TABLE  5. — COST  OF  FEEDS  PER  HEAD 
(For  feed  prices,  see  bottom  of  page) 


Scale  of  prices  

A 

B 

c 

D 

E 

First  Winter:    Dec.  11,  1922-Apr.  30,  1923—140  days 


Grain  

$     8.42 

$  8.42 

$  7.64 

$13.34 

$12.72 

Alfalfa  and  Sheaf  Oats  

15.17 

15.09 

11.51 

25.22 

24.53 

Total  

23.59 

23.51 

19.15 

38.56 

37.25 

Cost  per  day.  .  . 

.169 

.168 

.137 

.275 

.266 

Cost  per  pound  gain  

.118 

.118 

.096 

.193 

.186 

Summer:    Apr.  30,  1923-Oct.  15,  1923—168  days 


Grain  

$  8.98 

$  8.98 

$  8.14 

$14.23 

$13.56 

Alfalfa  and  sheaf  oats  

1.20 

1.61 

1.15 

2.34 

2.13 

Pasture  

15.50 

15.50 

15.50 

18.60 

18.60 

Total  

25.68 

26.09 

24.79 

35.17 

34.29 

Cost  per  day  

.153 

.155 

.148 

.209 

.204 

Cost  per  pound  gain  

.116 

.118 

.112 

.159 

.155 

Second  Winter:  Oct.   15,   1923-Apr.  28,  1924—196  days 


Grain  

$  1.41 

$  1.41 

$  1.28 

$  2.24 

$  2.14 

Alfalfa  and  sheaf  oats  

33.29 

36.23 

27.11 

57.94 

55.23 

Total  

34.70 

37.64 

28.39 

60.18 

57.37 

Cost  per  day.  . 

.177 

.192 

.145 

.307 

.293 

Cost  per  pound  gain  

.242 

.262 

.198 

.419 

.400 

Entire  Period:  Dec.  11,  1922-Apr.  28,  1924—504  days 


Grain  

$18  81 

$18  81 

$17.06 

$29  81 

$28  42 

Alfalfa  and  sheaf  oats  

49.66 

52.93 

39.77 

85.50 

81.89 

Pasture  

15.50 

15.50 

15.50 

18.60 

18.60 

Total  

83.97 

87.24 

72.33 

133.91 

128  91 

Cost  per  day  

.167 

.173 

.144 

.266 

.256 

Cost  per  pound  gain  

.149 

.154 

.128 

.237 

.228 

Feed  Prices 


Oats  per  bushel  

A 
$     .40 

B 

$     .40 

C 

$     .35 

D 

$  .64 

£ 

$     .60 

Bran,  per  ton  

26.00 

26.00 

26.00 

40.00 

40.00 

Alfalfa,  per  ton  

16.00 

14.00 

11.00 

25.00 

25.00 

Sheaf  oats,  per  ton  

10.00 

14.00 

10.00 

20.00 

18.00 

Pasture,  per  acre  

10.00 

10.00 

10.00 

12.00 

12.00 

258 


BULLETIN  No.  262 


[April, 


lated  readily  on  the  basis  of  current  prices.  Economical  feeding  should 
be  the  aim  always,  but  poor  feeding  to  lessen  the  cost  of  production  is 
false  economy.  The  average  cost  per  head  per  day  on  the  basis  of  the 
"A"  prices  was  16.7  cents. 

EXPLANATION  OF  FINANCIAL  CHART 

The  following  chart,  which  is  similar  to  ones  which  have  been 
used  at  this  Station  in  reports  of  steer  and  lamb  feeding  experiments, 
offers  a  quick  method  of  estimating  feed  costs.  Such  estimates  are  of 
course  less  accurate  when  applied  to  the  development  of  breeding 


Cost  of  oats  pf  t>u. 


Bran  Line 


Total  Cos  t  of  Feed  per  Heocf 


Sheaf  Oars  Ltne 

Cost  of  Bmn  <Shtaf  Oats 

fto           t  Alfa/  fa 
per  Ton 

-t 

-I7f 
-IJO 

-Iff 

—  /«« 

-as 

35 

'-ISO 

-no 

rl3f 

30 

r/30 

• 

-its 

-ItO 

r"s 

?5 

-no 

- 

-I0f 

• 

-100 

• 

"-.^ 

-IS 

20 

~        ^  -^ 

f'" 

-90 

-7S 

Jf 

^J 

-IS 

IO 

CHART  FOR  CALCULATING  COST  OF  FEED  PER  HEAD 

Directions  for  using  this  chart  are  given  above.  Because  of  limitations  of  space, 
the  chart  is  small  for  practical  use,  but  is  inserted  here  by  way  of  illustration.  Readers 
who  are  interested  in  this  method  of  calculating  costs  may  obtain  a  wall  chart  for  a 
small  charge  by  addressing  the  Experiment  Station. 

animals  than  when  used  to  figure  the  expense  of  fattening  meat  animals, 
because  the  former  are  fed  over  a  longer  period  of  time  and  conse- 
quently feed  prices  change  more.  Furthermore,  with  breeding  animals 
the  emphasis  should  be  put  on  healthy  development  rather  than  high 
condition. 


1925] 


FEEDING  PUREBRED  DRAFT  FILLIES 


259 


For  the  purpose  of  illustration,  assume  the  price  of  the  feeds  to  be 
as  follows:  oats,  40  cents  a  bushel;  sheaf  oats,  $10  a  ton;  bran, 
$26  a  ton;  and  alfalfa,  $16  a  ton.  To  read  the  chart,  place  a 
straight  edge  or  string  across  its  face  so  that  the  straight  edge  or  string 
connects  the  points  on  the  outside  scales  representing  the  price  of  oats 
and  sheaf  oats  respectively.  (See  line  "A"  on  the  chart.)  Mark  the 
place  w'here  the  straight  edge  crosses  the  line  in  the  chart  marked  "sheaf 
oats,"  and  connect  this  point  with  the  figure  on  the  right-hand  scale 
representing  the  cost  of  bran.  (See  line  "B"  on  the  chart.)  Mark  the 
place  where  the  straight  edge  crosses  the  line  marked  "bran  line"  and 
connect  this  point  with  the  figure  on  the  right-hand  scale  representing 
the  cost  of  alfalfa.  (See  line  "C"  on  the  chart.)  The  point  where  the 
straight  edge  now  crosses  the  line  marked  "total  cost  of  feed  per  head" 
is  approximately  $68.50.  This  figure  represents  the  total  cost  of  feed  per 
head  for  the  entire  period.  This  same  method  may  be  used  for  any 
prices  of  these  feeds.  The  essential  thing  is  always  to  connect  the  points 
representing  the  prices  of  the  feeds  in  the  same  order,  viz.,  oats,  sheaf 
oats,  bran,  and  alfalfa. 

DATA  ON  THE  FOUR  EXPERIMENTS 

In  the  table  on  the  following  page  will  be  found  a  summary  of  the 
data  of  all  four  experiments.  A  brief  statement  of  the  results  was  made 
in  the  introductory  paragraphs  on  page  247;  the  figures  are  included 
here  in  order  that  the  reader  may  make  any  comparison  he  may  wish 
of  the  more  important  features  of  the  experiments. 


THE  FILLIES  AS  YEARLINGS 

This  picture  shows  the  way  in  which  the  sweet  clover  was  eaten  off  closely  in 
places  while  a  good  growth  elsewhere  was  untouched.  The  whole  field  was  finally 
grazed  off  closely. 


260 


BULLETIN  No.  262 


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UNIVERSITY  OF  ILLINOIS  URBANA 


